Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mobile cabinets with insulation.
Background
For restaurants, schools, hospitals, etc. where food and drink are served, it is often not possible for a kitchen to prepare enough servings from scratch to feed everyone within a reasonable time period. Accordingly, food and drink items are prepared ahead of time and stored until served. To ensure that items do not perish or reach an undesired temperature, they are typically stored in mobile or stationary cabinets. The food is prepared and loaded into the cabinets, which are plugged into an electrical outlet so that internal heating systems can heat, or refrigeration system can cool, the interior of the cabinet. Mobile cabinets can be moved to facilitate cleaning the floor underneath them. Similar cabinets may also be used in hospitals, schools or other environments where meals are prepared at a central location and substantial time may lapse before they are ultimately delivered to the intended destinations, e.g. remote patient rooms.
Traditionally, holding cabinets fell into two general categories related to performance: insulated and un-insulated. Un-insulated cabinets generally fall into a “budget” category of cabinet, are inefficient, and may have hot exteriors. Insulated cabinets are typically manufactured by creating inner and outer sheet metal shells, with some form of insulation between them. These cabinets may provide good insulation performance and structure, but the process of manufacturing them is time consuming. Most insulated cabinets employed a fiberglass bat or board insulation that was easier, and less expensive to assemble, but the insulation could absorb moisture over time, losing its efficacy. In addition cabinets with metal outer surfaces are susceptible to denting, scratching, and require bumpers to be added to prevent damage to the cabinet or to the facility itself when moving the cabinet.
The conventional un-insulated cabinets have several other drawbacks. The metal exteriors of these cabinets transfer heat, and may lead to user burns. In addition, moving the cabinets inevitably results in bumps and vibrations which can harm the exterior of the cabinets or interior mechanical systems. Some cabinets have addressed these problems with padded and/or insulated hand holds, but these hand holds usually leave many exposed surfaces, including surfaces near the front of the cabinets that may lead to user burns.
Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide a cost-effective mobile cabinet which addresses the problems arising from a lack of expensive integrated insulation. It would also be advantageous to provide a mobile cabinet with insulation that protects the cabinet from harmful bumps and vibrations. In addition, it would be advantageous to design a mobile cabinet where the user is protected from possible burns through improved safety. In addition, it is also be advantageous to provide a mobile cabinet that complies with ENERGY STAR® requirements.